Potter: Hisashi Kawai

Approximate size Tokkuri: W3.5″ by H6.3″ or 8.8 by 16.cm

This is a sake set consisting of a tokkuri (sake bottle), and 2 guinomi, sake cups made by Hisashi Kawai (1942-2016), who was a nephew of the legendary mingei giant Kanjirõ Kawai and was with him during the initiation of the Mingei movement. Kawai Hisashi studied with Kawai Kanjiro and 40+ year collaborator Takéichi, Buichi Kawai (1908-1989). He followed in the footsteps of his famous mentor and continued to create vibrantly contemporary pieces using traditional techniques and his own individual sensibility. Highly identifiable yet without a signed tomobako or storage box it would be very difficult to attribute it to a specific potter.

Kawai Hisashi is well known for his high relief surface created for his molded works and for his thrown and hand carved pieces as well, many of which use his distinctive take on his master’s gosu, cobalt blue glaze.

Coated in a signature set of colours of Hisashi and unsigned. Not signing ones work became tradition in with many pieces. Hisashi, like Takéichi followed in the ways of his uncle Kanjiro. The Kawai family is a large name in the ceramics world and so carry weight, these pieces are befitting of the name and the passion and legacy of Kanjiro Kawai is clearly felt in these works. Its amazing that the potters who trained close to Kanjiro really took that style and made it their own yet it is obvious to see who they learned from.

This sake set has no chips or cracks and is in mint condition and comes with the original paulownia tomobako of which the inner side of the lid bears calligraphy and the potter’s seal of authenticity.

€440 + shipping cost